Old Flames and New Beginings
by lilly willow
Summary: Clayton (or whatever it is.)


**I don't own any of the Professor Layton characters. They belong to Akihiro Hino. Set months after the Unwound/ Lost Future. May contain spoilers.**

Hershel had settled down for the night. Between the lectures and the other daily events, he was exhausted. Professor Layton closed his weary eyes...

* * *

Layton sat in a lavishly decorated room. He looked at the door in anticipation. He wasn't sure why but he felt like he was waiting for something, or was it somebody? Suddenly the door opened. Layton's eyes widened and he rose to his feet.

"Hello Hershel," the woman said.

"Claire..." Layton felt like his knees were going to give in. Claire walked over to him and placed an affectionate hand on his cheek. Layton captivated the woman in a tight embrace, like he never wanted to let her go ever again. Claire pulled away and gave Layton a tender kiss on the lips.

"Where- how..." so many questions spun in his mind but he didn't know which one to ask first. Claire gave a gentle laugh, bringing her left hand to her mouth.

"Don't you remember? This is our future together," she smiled. Layton took her hand in his, inspecting the ring on her finger. It was his great-aunt's wedding ring (the one he never had a chance to give to her). That's when Layton spotted the photographs on the mantle place. In one picture, he was wore a fine suit and next to him stood Claire. She had on a gorgeous white dress. This was obviously their wedding day. In the other photo, Claire was in a hospital bed and in her arms were two bundles in blue blankets.

"Those are our sons, Andrew and Luke," Layton spun around at the sound of her voice. "You were so very proud that day". Claire drifted to the window. Layton followed her and placed his arm around her shoulders. She grabbed his hand and kissed it. Layton followed her gaze and saw two young boys playing with a soccer ball outside. They stopped upon seeing their parents and waved. He waved back at them. This is everything he could have wanted.

"Anyway, I've got to get going. We're conducting an important experiment in the lab today." Layton stood there numbly. Her words stinging his mind.

"No Claire! Wait!" The door closed behind her.

* * *

Layton sat up in his bed. His heart pounded hard against his ribs and his hands shook. He placed his trembling hand on his wet eyes. It had all felt so real. Layton imagined he could still smell her perfume. His touched his fingers on his lips. All of it robbed from him in a few minutes of greedy stupidity.

* * *

Professor Layton finished his lectures for the day and headed off. There was something important he needed to do.

"Hey Professor L." Rosetta stopped him outside the university gates. "You seemed kind of... distracted during today's lecture. Is everything alright?" Layton gave his usual smile.

"Everything is fine Rosetta. I just have a lot on my mind. Now, please excuse me." He gave a courteous tip of his hat and left.

"O...kay then." Rosetta's eyes followed the man until he disappeared around the corner.

* * *

Layton placed a bouquet of white lilies on Clive's parents' grave and paid his respects of them. He inhaled deeply and gripped the other bouquet in his hand tightly. Now for his true purpose in coming here. He made his way to Claire's grave. Layton laid the blue orchids down. She had once told him that her father used to grow them. They were two other bouquets there as well. One was fresher than the other. Layton had guessed that Dimitri and Don Paolo had been there earlier in the week.

* * *

After being at the cemetery, Layton visited Clive in prison. He may have caused at lot of destruction in an attempt to get revenge, but Layton could still see the terrified little boy he had met all those years ago. He appeared to be doing well. Clive was a little thinner than the last time he had seen him but he wasn't malnourished. Once visiting hours were over, Layton made his way home.

* * *

The sun had begun to set, bathing the London streets in gold. Layton was so wrapped up in his thoughts; he hadn't noticed the person coming from the other direction until it was too late. The collision had knocked them both of their feet.

"My glasses!" she cried. The woman began blindly feeling the ground for her spectacles. He picked up the book she had been reading.

"I'm terribly sorry Miss," Layton apologised but didn't dare move until the glasses had been located, just in case he broke them. The lady had found them and slid the thin framed spectacles back on her face.

"There that's better." Layton got to his feet and offered his hand to her. She accepted it and stood up as well. Now he had a good look at this woman, he couldn't believe his eyes. She looked so much like Claire. She had the same auburn hair, the same type of glasses; even the sparkle in her eyes was just like Claire's.

"Thank you," she said. "You're Hershel Layton aren't you?"

"Y-yes. I am," he replied.

"My name is Clara Elsford. I'm the new chemistry professor at Gressenheller University. I've heard so much about you." A few minutes of awkward silence passed between them before they realised they were still holding hands. Layton let go of Clara's hand and cleared his throat.

"Would you like to get a cup of tea or something?" he shyly offered.

"Yes I would like that," Clara beamed. Layton handed her the book and she thanked him, hugging it to her chest. As the pair of them walked off, the memories the previous night's dream, replaced by newer, happier memories with his new colleague.


End file.
